On the Market

Mediterranean escape in Montrose: Contemporary "villas" with rooftop views replace apartments

Editor's note: Houston is loaded with must-have houses for sale in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. From time-to-time, CultureMap editor-at-large Shelby Hodge snoops through some of our faves and gives you the lowdown on what's hot on the market.

1827 & 1829 West Main

As gentrification spreads like wildfire through just about all of inner Houston, developer Ali Taghi of AH Taghi Homes has taken a piece of property that once housed an aging apartment complex and transformed it into an oasis of contemporary living with 10 townhouses. The project is labeled Estancia West Main and the developer describes it as a "Mediterranean escape." I wouldn't go that far but the townhouses are sleek and clean, surely to appeal to young urbanistas.

What's inside:

All 10 townhouses feature four bedrooms, four full baths plus a powder room and a fourth floor game room with a spacious outdoor deck — downtown views to the east, Galleria views to the west. The open floor plan on the second level unites the family room, dining room and kitchen affording the ever-popular free-flowing style of living. The balcony accompanying each second floor living area expands the open feel even further.

Amenities include hardwood floors, marble countertops, pre-wiring for speakers and custom-built cupboards.

Bedroom one is on the ground floor, next to the two-car garage while the master and one guest bedroom occupy the third level. The fourth bedroom shares the fourth floor with the expansive game room complete with wet bar and loads of windows.

(You can see for yourself this Saturday and Sunday (July 11 an 12) with open house scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. Same time on Saturday July 18.)

Square footage: 3,187 for townhomes on the east side of the drive and 3,136 for those on the west side.

Asking price: From $715,995 to $745,995.

Listing agent:Delara Aubon of Aubon Properties - Keller Williams Metropolitan.

The master bath features walk-in shower and tub.

Photo by Rockbait Photo Tours

The master bath features walk-in shower and tub.

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rent affordability news

Houstonians need to make nearly $68,000 to afford rent in 2025

Photo courtesy of Dolce Midtown Apartments

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A new rental report from Zillow has revealed Houston renters need to make about 23 percent more money than they did five years ago in order to afford rent in 2025.

Zillow analysts examined the income needed to afford rent in 50 major U.S. metros, and determined rent prices in each city as of April 2025.

The average Houston renter needs to make $67,731 a year to afford living in the city, the report found. To afford rent for a single-family home, the income needed increases even further to $85,017.

Despite Houston's rising rent cost of living, it's still more affordable than many other cities. Nationally, the average income needed for someone to comfortably afford rent comes out to nearly $81,000. The study says that figure has increased nearly 35 percent since 2020.

"Housing costs have surged since pre-pandemic, with rents growing quite a bit faster than wages," said senior Zillow economist Orphe Divounguy. "This often leaves little room for other expenses, making it particularly difficult for those hoping to save for a down payment on a future home. High upfront costs are often overlooked, which can keep renters in their current homes."

Rent prices in Houston averaged $1,693 last month, which is less costly than the national average rent price of $2,024. Additionally, Houstonians are spending about 24 percent of their income on rent, while the typical American spends almost 30 percent of their income on rent.

Renters are also saving hundreds of dollars in comparison to those that own their homes, as a recent SmartAsset study discovered the median monthly housing costs for a Houston homeowner came out to $2,219.

At least we're not living on the East or West Coast, where eight U.S. metros require six-figure incomes to afford rent. Residents in San Jose, California need to make $136,532 a year to afford rent, the highest out of all 50 U.S. cities. Rent prices in San Jose came out to $3,413 in April.

Here's how much money renters need to afford living in other Texas metros, according to Zillow:

Dallas – $71,413
Austin – $68,840
San Antonio – $58,590

zillow housing report rent prices affordability houston